The present invention relates to a method and to portable apparatus for the electrical stimulation of a group of muscles, particularly the glutei, in order to improve their appearance and athletic performance.
The use of electrical stimulation has recently become increasingly widespread in the medical and paramedical fields, for example for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes (neuro-electrical investigations, treatment of pain, etc.) or for re-educative purposes (for example in orthopaedics for treating muscles which are relaxed to a greater or lesser extent).
Various methods and apparatus have been proposed for the electrical stimulation of muscle fibres, bundles or groups which are based on the application of unipolar electrical current (that is, one-way or "direct" current) or bipolar current (that is, two-way or "alternating" current) with greatly differing characteristics as regards wave form, amplitude and frequency.
What is more, the present invention falls within the field of application of muscular electrical stimulation, particularly for stimulating the glutei for aesthetic purposes.
It is known that, with advancing age and as a result of ever more widespread sedentary habits, the muscles which are least used habitually, amongst which are the glutei in particular, tend to become slack and lose tone. In the particular case of the glutei, these tend to become flabby and to drop thus adversely affecting the appearance of the anatomical parts concerned.
Active or passive gymnastic exercises or massage have been proposed for preventing this problem but with unsatisfactory results because of the practical difficulties of performing exercises which involve these muscular regions effectively and because of the fatigue which these exercises cause in any case.
The electrical stimulation of these muscles has also been proposed but with the use of non-specific stimulating apparatus, that is, apparatus not expressly designed for stimulating the aforesaid muscles.
In theory, correct electrical stimulation which induces controlled periodic contraction of the muscle group can actually lead to improved muscle tone as well as an increase in contraction capability, in resistance to strain, and in muscle volume.
As already mentioned, the use of conventional, non-specific electrical-stimulation apparatus for stimulating the glutei has, in effect, been unsatisfactory.
It should, in fact, be remembered that, although the different muscles of the body have considerable similarities from a general electrical point of view, each has its own specific qualities and its own particular electrical characteristics (resistance, reactance, etc.) which, in fact, make it a different "electrical load" from the others.